LS5663 - Module 6 - Janeczko Collection - Book Review

Janeczko, Paul B., selected by. 2001. Dirty laundry pile, Poems in different voices. United States of America: HarperCollins Publishers. Illustrations by Melissa Sweet. ISBN 9780688162511.

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When I first read the title of the book, I thought it was a book that needed multiple readers to enjoy it to the fullest, but actually these are poems that are written "in the voice of an object or an animal, as if that thing or creature were speaking." These poems are clever, and some even made me laugh out loud! There are poems about a crayon in a box wanting to be chosen, a vicious vacuum cleaner, a cow complaining that the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence," and of a cold little horse hoping for a blanket and a carrot. Kids are going to love these because they have probably never before thought about the thoughts of a tree, a red glove, a broom, a kite, or a washing machine.

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Many of these poems rhyme, and they are a lot of fun to read out loud. When I read this book, I was sitting in my office and reading out loud and laughing, loudly sometimes. I am sure that the high school students who might have seen me think that I am so silly, but who cares? These poems are so cool!

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The illustrations are very bright and colorful and very appropriate in depicting the poetry. This is an excellent book for a library poetry collection.

One of my favorites is the one about the viscious vacuum cleaner:

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The Vacuum Cleaner's Revenge

by Patricia Hubbell

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I munch. I crunch.

I zoom. I roar.

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I clatter-clack

Across the floor.

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I swallow twigs.

I slurp dead bugs.

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I suck the cat hair

From the rugs.

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My stomach full

Of dirt and dust

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I gulp another

Pizza crust.

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A tiresome life--

All work, no play--

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I think I'll swallow you today!

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The illustration is of a gigantic vacuum cleaner, sucking up everything in its path. I don't want to be its next victim. Yikes!

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This is a wonderful read-aloud book to share with elementary students. These poems will invite a lot of discussion. It would be great to do an extension activity by having the children to think of other objects and try to imagine the thoughts of those items. They could try to make poems and then add a photograph or drawing of the item that they are personifying. This could be a very engaging and imaginative project.